Complex gene expression in the dragline silk producing glands of the Western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Orb-web and cob-web weaving spiders spin dragline silk fibers that are among the strongest materials known. Draglines are primarily composed of MaSp1 and MaSp2, two spidroins (spider fibrous proteins) expressed in the major ampullate (MA) silk glands. Prior genetic studies of dragline silk have focused mostly on determining the sequence of these spidroins, leaving other genetic aspects of silk synthesis largely uncharacterized.

Results

Here, we used deep sequencing to profile gene expression patterns in the Western black widow, Latrodectus hesperus. We sequenced millions of 3'-anchored "tags" of cDNAs derived either from MA glands or control tissue (cephalothorax) mRNAs, then associated the tags with genes by compiling a reference database from our newly construct

SUBMITTER: Lane AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3879032 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature